NATIONAL Commercial Bank (NCB) today celebrates the 31st anniversary of its Keycard, the first proprietary credit card in Jamaica and the English-speaking Caribbean.

Keycard will mark the milestone in a “big way”, revealed the company in a press release.

The bank said it will be launching a 125′ x 25′ “Hollywood-styled” Keycard sign on hillside of Top Road — the former home of the Red Stripe billboard — later today in Montego Bay, St James.

“Keycard is indisputably Jamaica’s card,” says Bob Blake, NCB senior general manager, treasury, Correspondent Banking and Card Services Division.

“In 1981, it was unheard of for a small island such as ours to develop our own payment method. In 2012, it is apparent that this foresight was as a result of visionary leadership and strategic thinking that sees NCB maintaining a distinct competitive advantage through this unique selling proposition. The new iconic sign is a symbol that Keycard is here

to stay,” Blake continued.

Keycard will also be welcomed to the second city this evening with the lighting of the sign followed by a small gathering of stakeholders to commemorate the event.

The Keycard brand became popular in the ’80s and ’90s for catchy commercials and memorable taglines such as

‘Why bother with cash, use Keycard instead,’ and ‘The way to pay in JA.’